Consider self-employment
Are you interested in exploring entrepreneurship as a career option?
Do you have a talent and/or an entrepreneurial spirit?
Do you have an idea for a business?
Is entrepreneurship right for you?
Do you need assistance in getting started?
If so, there are a variety of resources available that can help you determine whether or not self-employment is for you, and to support you if you decide to start your own business.
Assess Your Potential
They are many resources and quizzes available to help you assess your potential and understand if entrepreneurship is a viable career option for you.
Entrepreneurial potential self-assessment by Business Development Canada includes 50 statements and once completed, your answers will be compiled, and you can evaluate your entrepreneurial traits, as concerns motivations, aptitudes and attitudes.
Self-Employment: Is It for Me? This booklet from the Government of Alberta can help you determine if being your own boss is the right choice for you.
Develop and Evaluate Your Idea
There are different types of business and you have to decide what kind of business you want: Franchise, independent, service, manufacturing, consumer, or maybe online retail store?
Before starting a business, you need to evaluate your idea and determine what your chances are of making a profit from that idea.
YSpace is York University’s newest community innovation hub. Have an idea for a start-up but don’t know how to make it a reality? Book a one-on-one Idea Consultation to get an understanding of how the York Region ecosystem can help your idea come to life.
LaunchYU - York University's entrepreneurship programs, where entrepreneurs across campus and in the surrounding community can connect, collaborate, learn, and succeed.
Canada Business – Provides information on conducting market research, understating customers’ needs, promoting products and services.
Build Your Plan
Start a summer company: students - Through Summer Company program funded by Government of Ontario, you can get: start-up money to kick-off a new summer business, advice and mentorship from local business leaders to help get the business up and running.
Founders Fundamentals - Founders Fundamental is a regional program designed to help you kick start your entrepreneurial career in York Region. Spanning across topics such as Value Proposition Design, Prototyping 101 and How to Grow a Team, this program provides a wide range of learning. Participate in all 13 Founder Fundamentals workshops and be eligible for an Innovation York Certificate.
Futurepreneur Canada - If you’re an entrepreneur age 18-39, the Futurepreneur Canada offers a suite of programs that will help guide you from pre-launch to expansion. They include coaching, financing, mentoring and more.
The Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs - The Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs has various resources for entrepreneurs. Learn more about loans, grants, or tax incentives and how to access them. Find out about federal and provincial business programs and services.
Launch Your Business
It is time to turn your social mission into a social enterprise. Find resources to help you start, manage and grow your business
Canada Business – Provides information on how to name your business, register your business, learn about permits, licences, and regulations. This information will help you plan for a successful start to your entrepreneurship journey.
Additional Resources & Articles for Professional Development & Training
Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science & Technology (BEST) Program - BEST offers students opportunities to interact with entrepreneurs, advisors, alumni and partners in the local ecosystem. Students involved in BEST can obtain the BEST certificate, which appears on their degree transcript, and combines academic and experiential requirements.
Entrepreneurship 101 - MaRS - A 5-week course that offers a mix of materials for every style of learning, weekly mentorship from expert practitioners and the tools you need to create your startup.
Study.com - Free Online Business Entrepreneurship Courses offered by some universities to help entrepreneurs get off to the best start possible.
INC. - Looking for new skills or insider know how? Check this website and enhance your expertise for free
Entrepreneur.com - Articles and webinars that reveals how entrepreneur(s) overcome unexpected problems in their business
$100 Startup offers resources, information, business and promotion plan samples
Score - Business Planning & Financial Statements Template Gallery
Click here to go back to: Wondering about Career Options?
